The present invention is directed to a carrier device and its use in suspending and transporting a vehicle rear suspension assembly, such as along an assembly line. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a carrier device that can be used to suspend and transport a vehicle rear suspension assembly by passing through a hole present therein and subsequently engaging a portion of said suspension assembly structure.
As would be understood by one of skill in the art, manufacturing processes commonly require the transport of various components, or component assemblies, about an assembly area or along an assembly line. When such components/assemblies are of small size and/or weight, it is often possible to accomplish such transport by hand or by simplistic conveying means. However, when such components/assemblies are large, heavy and/or of irregular shape, their transport through a manufacturing process can be more difficult.
It is also often necessary to suspend or otherwise support in location a component/assembly while another component or assembly is attached thereto, or while the component/assembly is attached to some other component or structure. As with the process of transporting large, heavy and/or irregularly shaped components/assemblies, it can be understood that supporting the same during a manufacturing operation can also be difficult.
A vehicle rear suspension assembly is exemplary of a component/assembly that is difficult to transport or support in position. As would be understood by one skilled in the art, a vehicle rear suspension assembly may include a number of connected individual components that collectively result in a heavy, irregularly shaped, and often unbalanced assembly. As such, the hanging of a vehicle rear suspension assembly from an overhead conveying mechanism has been a commonly employed transport and/or suspension technique. More particularly, a coupling element is attached to the overhead conveyor and a number of lengths of chain are extended therefrom and connected to various points about the rear suspension assembly.
It can be easily recognized that such a transport and/or support technique is undesirable for a number of reasons. First, such a technique requires the use of a number of (often unequal) lengths of chain and numerous corresponding connectors for each rear suspension assembly to be transported and/or supported. Further, the connection of each length of chain to a corresponding point on the rear suspension assembly, and the subsequent disconnection thereof, is time consuming and must be done with proper skill.
Therefore, it can be understood that a more efficient technique for safely and satisfactorily transporting/supporting a vehicle rear suspension assembly would be desirable. Embodiments of a device and method of the present invention facilitate such transport/support.